Monster
by St. Harridan
Summary: Ichigo thought he had it all: a loving wife, an adorable toddler, but when a sudden attack in the streets leaves Rukia dead, Ichigo is determined to catch her killer, only to find out that he's going to get more than he bargained for. AU.


**So...after a week of being dead, I've decided to break away from my one-shots and come up with something different. I sincerely hope you guys will enjoy this.**

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><p><span>Chapter One<span>

Sitting at his desk in the office, Kurosaki Ichigo rested his chin on his forearms and stared at the clock, watching and counting as the seconds ticked by. He was as bored as one could be. Sometimes he hated being a cop and having no case to sink his teeth into. He lived for the thrill of hunting down criminals, specifically murderers, and without a mystery to delve into, he felt like he was merely wasting time at the office. He'd rather be home tending to Rukia's needs or slacking off to watch a soccer game with Renji.

Speaking of Rukia, when was she going to ring him up? She had told him at noon, when he had dropped her off at the shopping mall with her friends, that she would call him when she was done. It was already six in the evening and Ichigo, despite having gone through previous experiences in a mall with his wife, couldn't believe how long she could take just to fill her arms with goods.

At the back of his mind, he hoped that she didn't go all out like what she did a while ago. It was bad enough that he wasn't getting any of the action, with the other, more amateur of his subordinates having fun with the recent robbery cases.

Apparently, his superior couldn't give a damn about him even if the man tried. Sometimes Ichigo figured that he just envied his talent for deduction and capabilities for finding the criminal spot on, but why would he leave out one of his most senior soldiers out?

To give Ichigo a rest, maybe. Or to allow him some time to spend with his wife. Granted, she did all the housework - Ichigo guessed this was the reason for her unpredictable mood swings - but she told him more times than one that she was perfectly capable of it. He did offer some assistance, but she slapped him away. One really couldn't blame him - at least he tried.

"Yo," Renji plopped himself down in his seat beside Ichigo, flashing his partner a grin, "wanna go grab a drink or something? That new pub downtown's offering some nice prices on wines. Wanna check it out?"

"Maybe," Ichigo muttered, checking his cell phone for Rukia's call - maybe he missed it, but there was nothing. With a grumble, he pocketed it. "If Rukia's not intending to come home any time soon, I'll take you up on that offer. Wine sounds good – better than getting wasted here in this damn boring place."

Renji laughed, slapping him on the back. "She'll call soon, don't worry, but you _did_ tell her not to be a big spender this time, right?"

"Eh. I didn't give a damn to." Ichigo leaned back in the chair and stretched his arms above his head, exposing a little of tanned skin above his waistline. "Besides, she doesn't really listen to me even if I do tell her. Doesn't listen to a thing I say, that woman. I wonder why I even married her in the first place."

"Oh, don't be like that!" Renji elbowed him in the side playfully. "You like the rebel in her. Admit it!"

"Shut up, prick." Ichigo smacked Renji's hand away, but he chuckled all the same. Rukia really was a rebel to be desired in his books, but he wasn't going to go there when he was still in the workplace. He would have to wait until he was home, with the child tucked away in his own room, and then he could have Rukia all to himself. Punish her for being so slow in responding to his message.

Ichigo shook his head, clearing away the indecencies that had begun to rise in his mind. Renji seemed to know what he was thinking; as he rose to his feet, he gave Ichigo another elbow in the side, smirking, and went over to the reception desk.

Ichigo glared at his back, but he couldn't keep the mischievous smile from creeping up his face. Unwilling to wait any longer, he dug in his pocket for his phone once again, but the ringtone that blared out of the blue, shattering the silence, gave him a start. Immediately, he picked it up, feeling his heart leap when he heard the all too familiar voice on the other end of the line.

"Rukia, where have you been? Is everything all right?"

"I'm fine, Ichigo." He heard her laugh while a few female voices chattered on in the noisy background. Her friends, no doubt. "And I'm done. Could you pick me up now? Or do you want to have dinner first?"

"I'm on my way." He snapped the phone shut and took off down the corridor, giving Renji a punch in the arm on the way. "You know Rukia more than I do. You bastard."

"She called, right? Told you." Renji shoved Ichigo out the door, nearly having the urge to kick the man right out just for the hell of it. "Go on, get going. Go save your damsel in distress!"

xxx

Ichigo drove up the curb, grinning as her face came into view. She waved, returning his smile, and not for the first time, he felt like despite how much she can drive him to the edge of sanity with her antics, he still found her oddly endearing. Bidding Orihime, Chad, Uryuu and Tatsuki farewell, she hopped into the car and they took off onto the main road.

"So, got anything for me?" He turned his head to look at the back seat, but found that it was empty save for their child, a three-year-old toddler who just couldn't stay still that they had to buy a special baby seat to strap him in. Ichigo flashed him a fond grin. "Hey, kid. Had fun with Mom today?"

Izaki gurgled around his pacifier, bright blue eyes blinking up at his father in curiosity.

"You...actually didn't buy anything." Ichigo raised an eyebrow at Rukia in mock-suspicion, receiving only a sly smile in return. That was unusual, considering how she could just go all out and spend, spend, spend. He remembered handing her a fair sum of money at the beginning of the month, which was just about two weeks ago, and that was excluding cash for their household necessities.

_But whatever._

Ichigo didn't really care what she did with his salary as long as she had fun. It was always rewarding to see her smile at the end of the day, that vibrant face of hers brightening up his own after he came home from work. It was the one thing that he looked forward to every day - seeing as her cooking wasn't all that good - and Izaki straining against his mother's arms, wanting to be held by his father, only made it all the more worthwhile.

"Have you had dinner yet?" Ichigo took a left turn, falling into a quieter street. "I'm thinking of taking you guys out."

"I know my cooking isn't enough to satisfy you, Ichigo," Rukia playfully poked him in the side of his head, "but I'm all for eating out. What about you, Izaki?" She turned around in her seat, grinning at the child.

He all but stared up at her, pacifier bobbing as he sucked on it. Ichigo wondered just how babies could use such things; they were, to his eyes, a tad too unhygienic. Rukia thought so as well, but Izaki seemed to like it, so she took the necessary steps to ensure his safety, washing it every time they got hold of a restroom or whenever it popped out of his mouth. Gods knew just what sort of germs could infect it, and they were two of the most protective parents out there.

Ichigo sped through the streets, only coming to a halt outside a small restaurant just a short while later. They were in a secluded area of the city now, the streets and roadways being quieter than those in the uptown area, but for once it felt good to be away from all the hustle and bustle. The restaurants in the heart of the city were always packed anyway, and the prices, more often than not, burned holes in Ichigo's wallet. Rukia could eat, and he constantly had to remind himself that, despite how much he wanted to give her the best, he just couldn't afford it.

He didn't want to end up like a fool without enough cash to pay after a meal - the memory still teased him at the back of his mind, determined to stick with him for the rest of his life.

He got out of the car and held the door open as Rukia took Izaki in her arms. One wouldn't have guessed the place to be as big as a ballroom given its rather mundane entrance that was lit only by a pair of red lanterns on either side.

Rukia's eyes widened at the sight of the chandeliers - though small, were enough to induce awe within her - that hung low from the ceiling, bathing the room in a soft, yellow hue. It was homely, welcoming, and the maître d' was courteous enough to lead them to a table by the window. The scenery outside wasn't so impressive - just a dark clump of trees below with the empty, lamp-lit street in the distance where only an occasional car would pass by - but the restaurant's atmosphere was enough to hold their attention.

Ichigo placed their orders, knowing just what suited his family's tastes, and once the waiter had gone off, he pulled Izaki into his lap, arms wrapped loosely around the small boy. Izaki tipped his head back, flashing a toothless grin at him, and Ichigo couldn't help but bend down and touch his nose to the child's. Rukia looked on in silence as her husband tickled the sides of the child, inducing giggles that came off a little too loudly for guests sitting at nearby tables.

"How's Renji?" she asked, absently running her fingers through Izaki's hair, eyes showing how much fondness she had for him. "Teasing you as always, I presume."

"You got that right," Ichigo huffed, rolling his eyes, but allowed a smile to tug at the corners of his mouth nonetheless.

Renji - Rukia's childhood friend, he joined the police force along with her, and it was during their first days in the academy that Ichigo met them. Renji, initially, wasn't quite taken to him, but after passing many trials and tribulations that threatened to break them throughout the training course, they eventually found themselves to be inseparable. The bond that tied them together was firm, unable to break even if it were to go through a tempest.

Ichigo knew that Renji used to have a...crush on his wife. It was back during the days, when Renji told him, but then he found himself falling for Rukia as well. It mirrored one of those chic lit novels wherein two guys were in love with the same girl, both of them being best friends - Ichigo had never imagined himself to be in such a state. He found that he didn't like it in the least, since Renji kept coming to him for advice regarding his relationship with Rukia, when all the while he felt the urge to ask those same questions.

Still, Rukia, after much persuasion, confrontation, and with the sweat of Ichigo's brow, became his. Renji acted like he didn't care, like he was happy for them, but Ichigo knew that deep down, Renji felt like killing him.

They stayed friends though, their bond as close as ever after having gone through that unspeakable conflict - one that they vowed never to tell Rukia. They didn't want her to guilt herself - Renji had confided in Ichigo once that he was just content with seeing her smile, and if being with Ichigo was what made her happy, then so be it.

xxx

Rukia stretched her arms above her head, sighing as the cold evening breeze teased her dark bangs. Ichigo, with the toddler still in his hold, stepped out of the restaurant and stood beside her. Izaki was already asleep, curled up in his father's arms, dozing off on his shoulder. A sliver of drool had formed on Ichigo's shirt collar, but he paid it no mind. With a hand patting Izaki's back in a light rhythm, Ichigo leaned over and pressed an absent kiss to Rukia's temple, earning a puzzled look from her. He gave a shrug, grinning in amusement, and went to the car.

"C'mon, Rukia, it's getting late," Ichigo called as he carefully placed Izaki in the backseat. He fastened the seat belts over him, making sure that it would ensure his safety should an accident occur, and closed the door as gently as he could so as to not wake him. Experiences with a cranky, groggy baby had left a mark on him, had taught him a lesson never to wake children. Ever.

"Ichigo!"

And the next thing he heard was a gunshot.

He whirled around, eyes wide, hand on his holster by instinct, but it was too late. Rukia had fallen, now lying face down on the street in a pool of blood. Ichigo, his profession taking over in an instant, swallowed a cry as his eyes befell the figure standing just feet from Rukia's form. Clad in a black outfit with a plain, white mask over his face, he had a hand raised, pistol pointing straight at Ichigo's heart. The patrons were starting to wreak havoc in the restaurant; Ichigo thought fast, trying to find a way to keep them out of harm's way.

The maître d' appeared in the doorway, face as white as a sheet, and his wide-eyed stare locked on Ichigo. "Sir, what is h-" But those were the last words that came out of his mouth, as the shot in his chest brought him down.

Ichigo gritted his teeth, frozen to the spot as the young man crumpled to the ground. The screams were getting louder. Ichigo took a step towards the door, dodging just in time as the man let out a shot. It ricocheted off the car's passenger door, making a sharp dent. Ichigo dived behind the car, pulling out his own pistol and holding it before him.

_Breathe, stay calm. You asked for some action. Now you've got it._

But Ichigo found that he didn't like what sort of "action" this was. Rukia was... He shook his head, clearing his mind of thoughts that would distract him from his initial plight. He had to focus, put his training to good use. He was a goddamn senior; he could get through this.

Another shot sounded, this time shattering the passenger's windshield. Ichigo ducked as glass flew in every direction, praying that Izaki was all right. He could hear the frantic cries of the customers, but they seemed so far away now. With a deep breath, Ichigo launched himself up and fired three shots, but when he looked again, the man wasn't there any longer.

A moment of silence passed, shattered only by terrified civilian wailing, and when Ichigo was certain that the stranger had gone, he rose to his feet and hurried to Rukia's side, stashing the pistol away so as to not frighten the public any more.

"Rukia?" Ichigo rolled her body around, and upon seeing her lifeless form, her wide eyes that seemed to stare at nothing in particular, he felt his heart skip a beat. "Rukia, get up." His voice came out in a hoarse whisper, one that was very much foreign to his ears. He shook her, pressed his ear to her chest, but he felt nothing, received no reaction. "Rukia, c'mon, we have to get home. Izaki's waiting in the car. C'mon, let's go." The bullet-punctured hole in her stomach bled profusely; he tore off his tie, bundled it up and pressed it against the wound.

_Apply the pressure. Pressure works. Pressure always works._

Ichigo's mind was racing against the clock, thoughts tumbling over one another as he tried to find his bearings. Who was that? Where did he go? What was his purpose tonight? Questions whirled around in his mind, but the only one that he truly cared about right then and there was whether or not Rukia was alive.

He dug out his cell phone, smearing its screen with Rukia's blood, and quickly he called the ambulance.

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><p><strong>So, how was the first chapter? Granted, I'm never good with exposition, and writing this one was like vomiting out the words. <strong>

**Comments and corrections are most welcomed. Please leave a review and let me know what you think. :)**


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